New 3-Day Self-Driving Itinerary from Wuxi to Lu’an

Drive from Wuxi to Jinzhai County Seat (around 6 hours). After lunch, visit Jinzhai County Revolutionary Museum and Red Army Square, one of China’s Top Ten Patriotic Education Bases. Then tour the Meishan Reservoir Dam — the second major dam constructed after the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the world’s tallest dam completed in the 1950s. Meishan Reservoir is a landmark large-scale water conservancy project independently designed and built by China during the First Five-Year Plan period.

After breakfast, drive to Tiantangzhai National Forest Park (approximately 2.5 hours by car). Tiantangzhai retains the last virgin forest in East China. It is known as a land of azaleas, a habitat for giant salamanders, a kingdom of plants and a paradise for wild animals. It features towering mist-shrouded peaks, extensive forests and a humid climate dotted with countless mountain springs, with air humidity reaching 80.7%. There are 108 waterfalls of various sizes within the scenic area, 18 of which have a drop of more than 50 meters. A cool summer retreat, it is designated a national demonstration site for eco-tourism.

Spend 2 hours visiting White Horse Grand Canyon. Nestled at the foot of 1,600-meter-high White Horse Peak, the canyon stretches about 6 kilometers long. It combines elegance, serenity, grandeur and precipitousness, gathering springs, waterfalls, streams and pools in one valley. The outer section is spacious while the inner part is secluded, concealing stunning natural landscapes. Steep cliffs stand on both sides, shaped exquisitely by nature.

After lunch, tour the Waterfall Group Scenic Area for 3.5 hours, then head back to Jinzhai.

After breakfast, drive to West Jiuhua Mountain, a national AAAA-level tourist attraction in Henan Province (around 50 minutes’ drive). The scenic area is dominated by ten-thousand-mu tea plantations, vast bamboo seas, forests, lakes and clusters of canyon waterfalls. Rooted in Buddhist culture and styled with southern Henan folk customs, it forms an integrated landscape of tea, bamboo and Zen, embodying the perfect harmony between mountains, waters and humanity.

After lunch, drive back to Wuxi, bringing this wonderful trip to a satisfying end!